Eco Fireplaces

I've always wanted to have a house with a fireplace.  There's just something about sitting in front of a fire on a cold winter's night, all snug & cosy with a red wine and good company.  Don't you think?

So when we were in the early stages of coming up with ideas for our new home, I told 'B' to put it on the list and to not even think of talking me out of it!  Not that there was much resistance!

Never having looked into fireplaces before, I was quite simply thinking along the lines of a gas fireplace because it's a much cleaner and cheaper fuel to burn than wood.  Does anyone even build new houses with wood fireplaces anymore?? Anyway, we even went to a local showroom to have a look at a few and noticed they started around the $5,000 mark.  All good, it was a non-negotiable.

Then 'B' started to look into fireplaces a little more as he'd heard of ethanol fireplaces and even electric fireplaces.  Not entirely convinced they'd look the part, I had a look at the ones he found and thought the ethanol fireplaces weren't surprisingly too bad - as for the electric fireplaces, don't even go there!

All this research took place about a year ago now and since then there seems to be so many more online sites in Australia selling them and I now much prefer them to the gas fireplaces!  Our original house plans had an alcove designed to install our chosen fireplace in the Living Room and thankfully I checked just before final sign off to see if the chosen model was still available and it wasn't!!  We ended up scrapping the alcove altogether and will work out exactly what we want after handover.

Advantages of Ethanol Fireplaces

• VERY cheap to run (run off metho!)
• They are much cheaper than gas and start around $1,000 but you can go up to gas prices
• You don't need to have a flue
• You can place the fireplace anywhere you want!
• Environmentally friendly
• No smell

Disadvantages

• Don't throw out as much heat as gas or wood (although you can adjust the heat) 

Our Living Room isn't a large area so we mainly want the fireplace for ambience and a little bit of warmth.  For the general heating of the house we'll be using our reverse cycle aircon.  Yes, the irony isn't lost on me that I'm here talking about a 'green' fireplace and in the next sentence talk about airconditioning however we'll be having top insulation in our walls & roof, eaves around the whole house and the living areas are orientated in the best position so with any luck the aircon won't be relied on too heavily.

Here are some of my favourite fireplaces at the moment...

The first 2 are from Ambience Eco Fires and are classed as "Gloss Polished' which I love as it gives the glass a lightly mirrored appearance for the fire to bounce around.  Cost around $2,500 - $3,000.

And here are some of my favourites from the gallery of Eco Smart Fire. These fireplaces seemed to be a little more pricey but oh so worth it don't you think?!

By the way if you're a little concerned about the openness of the fireplace, especially if you have little ones like we do, you can also get glass screens.  Ours will most likely be used when the littlies have gone to bed anyway.

Our block has been levelled!

I could hardly believe my eyes when I did my usual drive by our block this morning.  Our whole site has been not only scraped but completely levelled!  I wasn't expecting this stage for at least another week or 2.  What a great surprise!

A couple of months ago, "B" spent a lot of time working out how much spoil would need to be removed from the backyard so as to work out whether it would be beneficial to try and pay the excavator to clear the remainder of the block now while equipment was already there or to do it all after handover.  However he worked out we'd need to use a good portion of the backyard spoil in the very front part of the property so decided to do it later on. 

Well, thanks to Eden Brae we don't have to worry about it now as it's all been done exactly as we wanted (not that they knew that!)  The step down is for our garage...

Well I'll be pegged!

Drove by our block this morning as I usually do after dropping the boys off to daycare and notice that we've been pegged!

Look, here she is!!  I know, a tad underwhelming but pretend you're excited anyway!  It means something is about to actually start happening!

And why not throw in a crop circle for good measure??

Paint Colours

* Bare with me, it's a long'n but there are pics down the bottom :)

I thought I'd do a post on paint colours today as this is one area that kept us second guessing ourselves.  There are so many shades of white out there!  If you've gone looking for paint recently, you'll know what I mean.

Like a lot of people, we wanted to keep the overall base colours reasonably neutral.  Not so much for resale seeing that we plan on being in this home for a long time but more so because yes, while you can paint over it again - who has the time, money or desire to do so after going through the whole building process?!  I also like the idea of keeping the base colours simple and adding splashes of colour with accent colours.

Not keen on the more clinical feel from the cooler 'whites', we gravitated towards the warmer toned whites but desperately didn't want cream!  Not asking for much are we?!  Oh and I also wanted it to contrast with the truer white of the skirting, architraves and ceiling.

So in preparation for our colour consultation, we collected millions of paint swatches and did a load of internet searching.  We narrowed it down to a few colours, only to discover a few days before our colour appointment that we might be limited to only Taubmans / Bristol colours!!  I always thought no matter what paint base you used, any brand tint could be added.  No.  Not the case (well it can be but it's not the way most builders operate).  As we've since learnt, the builders have deals with certain companies which means you're limited to only their colour range.

On top of this, the builder's range of colours don't tend to feature in any of the paint swatches you pick up from Bunnings and the like!  So if you're like us and are building with Eden Brae, best to go grab and arm load of paint swatches they have at the Home Option Gallery.  Keep in mind that you'll only be able to choose from the 20 or so colours on display if you go with the standard 2 coat option (that's 1 base coat and 1 top coat by the way!  What the?)  However if you upgrade to 3 coats (1 base and 2 top coats) you can choose any colour you like that Taubmans or Bristol make.

Talk about making a difficult task even more difficult!

In the end, 'B' cleverly suggested we choose our flooring colours first seeing that we were more limited for choice in that area. So this is what we did.  By choosing our favourite timber laminate colour we could then hold up our narrowed down paint selections and one colour definitely seemed to look the best - Taubmans "Antique Ivory" (doesn't it sound awful?!). Then in our actual colour consultation, our lovely consultant Josie confirmed it was a good match.

Of course, after sitting on our colour choices for a few months when we I was faced with the prospect of not being able to make any more changes I had to listen to the niggling doubt I had about our colour.  In my mind's eye it was too creamy.  I picture our home to be fresh and light and maybe it's just the name of the colour but suddenly I found myself madly googling paint images and buying some new sample pots of colour to explore.

I narrowed it down to 2 new colours that seemed super popular on the Homeone Forum I frequent - Moon River and Nomadic Ivory.  Out of the 2, we both much preferred the Nomadic Ivory and lo and behold, the Antique Ivory sample card I had literally disappeared when held on top of Bristol's Nomadic Ivory.  Decision made!  We stayed with Antique Ivory.

"B" just good naturedly rolled his eyes at all the fuss over nothing but in my defence "Antique Ivory" seems a little bit more rarely used and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't find anyone who had used it or any images showing it in action.  I could however find pictures of Nomadic Ivory and I really love it!  Thank you Stormy's Castle for the below images...

I think this pic gives the best overall idea as we'll also be having similar coloured trims and floors.

Next few show the colour in a few different lights.  I really love it - it's warm, neutral and contrasts beautifully with the white trimming!

How have you found choosing paint colours?  And what do you think of our choice?  Be kind, we're past the point of no return now ha ha ha.

Mud Rooms

Mud Rooms.  Got one? Need one? Want one?  Or are you wondering what on earth I'm on about?

Mud Rooms seem to be more of an American thang but I think they're starting to feature over here in Australia a little more.  Or is that just what I'm noticing?

Mud Rooms separate the inside from the outside and provide a spot for your coats, bags, shoes, dog leashes, keys and any other bits & bobs.  Our new house will have one right next to the laundry and will be the spot where we enter the house after parking in the garage.

Here's a photo taken from one of the Eden Brae display homes to pretty much show just what ours will look like: 

 

And here are some great ideas for mudrooms I've come across. 

Starting with this one which is my favourite. Very organised, functional, simple yet stylish.  I love the storage seat!  Great to hide the boys shoes in and a spot to plonk the boys on while I put their shoes on!  Boxes hide all the mess.  Love it!



Then we have the following 2 which appear to have a 'locker' for each family member.  Very organised and functional, though you'd need to be a little more tidy with these ones, having everything on display!





Here's another one.  Neat, simple and tidy.



And lastly, this cute little one was put together by Maillardville Manor and is only 5 x 4 foot small big.  Not quite the look I'm after but I do like the way she's used the space and I particularly love the monogram on the mirror.  Handy spot to have a mirror really.  And check out those fold up hooks from Ikea under the mirror!  Great if space is limited.






So there you go, a few ideas on mudrooms.  What does yours look like?

Boy's Bedroom Ideas

A few boys bedrooms I've been inspired by...

In this one I love the bold blue wall and white furniture

 

 In the 2 below, similar thing again - bold colours teamed with white furniture

 I love the idea of using the space around windows as well as the window seat!

Based on these pictures, I think it's safe to say I'm going to try for a similar look.  Fresh and clean looking with some bold colours and not too over the top with a 'theme'.

For my little guy who is 4, I'm thinking the following.....

Quite a while ago I saw a fabulous rocket ship wall decal on a friends facebook page and just had to have it for my eldest son's big boy bedroom in the new house.  We've also got it in white like the picture below and will be having a very similar coloured feature wall (Regatta by Bristol) in his bedroom.  The decals can be found at My Munchkin Home

I've bought the following bedding from Cotton Box.  I bought the one below as shown including red sheets and turquoise world cushion.

I also bought the striped doona cover and pillow slip on below set as I figure the same red sheets above will suit and it's always nice to have a spare set.

For window treatments, I'm thinking of white plantation shutters like these to keep in line with the fresh, clean lines I'm after.  Though jury is still out as curtains might be nicer and more whimsical in a kid's bedroom if you know what I mean?

Currently the bulk of the bedroom furniture we have is in oak but I just bought a King Single Bed with a trundle underneath from ebay which I plan on sanding back and painting in a semi-gloss white paint.  Thinking of painting the other furniture to match too.  Here's a before photo of the bed (it will be my first makeover project, very soon!)  Not bad for $169.25 huh?

As for my little guy who is not quite 2 yet....

Well, I've really only got as far as narrowing it down to a few decals for my youngest son.  I'm thinking of one of the following, which can be found at Etsy - Contemporary Dreams:

It will be on a feature wall colour called Reservoir by Bristol and can best be described as a brilliant sky blue colour.

Will also have white furniture but I want to give each room a slightly different 'personality'.  

I'm currently on the hunt for another King Single Bed with trundle (figured the trundles will get a great workout with sleepovers over the years) and when not used for that purpose are a fantastic spot to store train sets etc.  Suitable bedding is also on my list of things to look for.  

So, what do you think so far?

Our final drawings are in!!

10 months, 2 weeks and 6 days after putting down our $750 deposit at Eden Brae we have our final drawings!!! For those just tuning in, it took that long for our land to register and shouldn't be confused with Eden Brae's usual turnaround times!

So exciting to see the final drawings with everything exactly as we have been planning. And without further ado, here they are....

Just casting your memory back, we have converted the original Parent's Retreat and Office into self-contained accommodation.  So the self-contained area is labelled "Rumpus" & "Bedroom 5".  The ensuite off the rumpus has provisions for a washing machine & dryer (notice the nib wall next to the toilet?) and the space backing onto the shower is a fridge space.  After handover, a kitchenette will go in the corner near the spot for the fridge.  At the front of the Rumpus are French Doors which will open onto a deck and this will be the main entrance into the unit.

Bedroom 1 will be the new Master Bedroom and we have converted the media room from the middle of the house into our ensuite, walk in robe and a study nook that faces the living area.  The funny little alcove next to the study nook is for a built in wine rack feature.

Other main changes made to our plans is the kitchen where we've made it an island bench so as to maximise the back of kitchen space and have put pot drawers in there.  We also have some nifty storage cupboards in the island that open into the Family Room.

We also added on Bedroom 4 which will be a playroom / guest room and has french doors that will open onto a small deck.

Loads of other little changes have been made here and there and below is a standard Saville 27 floor plan, so you can really see the changes made.  In short, the only 2 areas not changed is the Linen Cupboard and Alfresco!

We are so thrilled with how it's all come together and feel that we'll be utilising every spare inch of space available.

Decorating ideas and accent colours

I've been putting a lot of thought into decorating our yet to be built house recently!  I think it ties me over when sometimes nothing else seems to be happening with the build.

Aaaaages ago I mentioned to B that I was thinking of Duck Egg Blue as an accent colour in our living / family rooms (one big open plan area).  We have chocolate brown lounges, dining table, dining chairs and basically a bit too much chocolate brown.  Lovely but kinda over did it a few years back.

Here's an example of Duck Egg Blue:

As lovely as our furniture is, if I had my time again or a lovely big budget to work with I'd get at least one of the lounge suites in a creamy / off white colour and have 2 single arm chairs in a complimentary fabric.  I also would have gotten a cream suede covered dining room chair to compliment the dark brown dining table.  Anyhoo, no such luck to the fabbo budget....boo!  So my thoughts are now to balance out the darker furnishings with some lighter colours - namely whites and duck egg blues.


Then I threw a spanner in the works and bought a gorgeous new empire red kitchenaid recently!!!  This made me think that I *should* do my accent colours in red however as much as I love the colour red, it just wasn't the direction I wanted to go in. 

Isn't she lovely?

While perusing one of my absolutely favourite blogs Young House Love recently, I stumbled across exactly the colour scheme I've been looking for on one of their mood boards!!  They've tied in perfectly the chocolate brown, whites, glass, duck egg blue and thrown in a tan kind of colour to tie it all in and add 'layers' and 'depth' (these are my new decorating words ha ha) to the room.  Best part is, B loves it too!  Phew!

I already have some of those gorgeous apothecary jars, bought from Sharnel Dollar Designs about a month ago!

As for my lovely little Kitchenaid, she'll just be a nice pop of colour in the kitchen.  After all, I want everything to compliment each other but not be overly matchy.

So here I am, now trying to find some gorgeous duck egg blue rugs.  They're virtually non-existant here in Australia from my searches so far!  I have however found some gorgeous ones online in the US!  They're quite reasonably priced too so it may actually work out ok to have one shipped here.

Here are some of my favourites so far....

 Apparently this one is classed as grey but certainly looks similar to the colours I'm after...